Automobile body



M. H. TONCRAY AUTOMOB ILE BODY May 21, 1929.

Filed Jan. 27, 1927 y ATTDRNW;

Y PatenledyMajy'Zl, 1929. i

- 'BILLARD n. l'roNcnAY, for ISILf'rItoIa', viseIIcinefili,V AssIeNoIt 'ro IIUnsoN kMor-olil can. i" oomxgmyprnnmnorr, MICHIGAN, CORPORATION orfmcgmnm j AII'IOIIQBILE lnom?.v

Y Appucauainla January 27,1927.l kserial no. ischia.,

VThisinvention relates especially,.although notexclusi-vely, to closed metal automobile bodies'jofftheframelesstype and has for its' objects to"facilita'te the Interior trimming *5 of 'j suchf a bodyfand the mounting. of the v-fixed rear window, as wellfas to provide improved means-'for bracing, strengthening, and stiiem'ng the body shell particularly aroundtherrear window 'and adjacent the yI seatback. The invention also contemplates plrovisions for protecting the lower back om `damage b toolsor the like commonly storedin 'the vicinity thereof. v

- The more particular! objects of the inveni tion, together' with meanfswhe'reby the latter vmay be carried into efect,l will kbest be understood from' the followingl description of one form of embodiment thereof illustrated inthe accompanying drawings. It'fwill' be understood, howevelgjthat the particular-k `construction described and-shown has been chosen for illustrative urposesmerely', and that thelinvention, asv efined byithe claims hereunto appended, may -be otherwise em- 25 bodied without departure from itsspirit and scope. I I p In saiddrawings: 4 z i f Fig. 1-,is` 'a fragmentary interior perspecf j tiveview of aportionof the rear of a closed automobile l: od*y-,-"-showin'gV the samel before v trimming;

Fig; '2 through kthe central portion of' .the rear of V*an automobilebody; 'Y

form ofsupport forthe trim and window frame;'"`l^- Fig. 4 isA a I detail sectional 'elevational 'l view showing h e trim rametogether with acertain adjacentparts; i v A 1 *Theinventionls hereinillustratedtin connection with an automobile body of the typeV knownfas a coachfand'constructedf in accordancejwith principles more fully eX- 7` v45 `plained'i-n another application ledv November 2o, 1925, serial NQ;-70-,29e,a1though it? 1i willy be uuderstoodlthat, While certain'fea-v 'ftures `of the inventionr are particularly applicable to lsuch a body, the precise type and shell com osed fof@ -connected"--preforl'ned vpanels-as istinguishe'd ffrom the body which comprises va covering of panels applied to a of the body andftakes the'fstresses. and st'ralns. I i

y v Y y n jvention, an improvedtrimfframe andarear `sV471 a sectional elevational view Fig; k3 is a detail perspectivejview'fof one` construction vofA the latter'may widely varied; yIn thedrawings-is shown the interior' of, thek rear vportion of 'such a body,

which of the yfr'ameless type in which'the j shape 1s determined yand1the^strains and 55 stresses taken Vprimarilyfby-an" exterior metal skeleton frame lwhichdetermines theshapey In the construction shownthe Apanel asfV fsembly constituting the metal shell includes upper and lower'back `panels 10 andi-11 which are formed with inturned edge anges 13, the langesf'ofv adjacent panelsv being riveted 'or otherwise appropriatelys'ecured together withy the interposedv4 :ange 14, VVVofv1 V thelcombined finishing andv stiffening molding ,"15to form a panel vjointl of the charac- V.ter more fully described'inian` application serialNo; 50,1106:r` lThelower flange 13 of the llower panel 11 is.rivetedorg'otherwisejl f appropriately secured tothe lowergcross sill member 16, and'the-lippenpanelv 10 "is formed .witha rear window.v opening 17 surrounded by an' inturnedflange 18a s In accordance withrfone feature of thel in Window support is secured 'within the interior of the metal bod lshell and secu'redfto` n the joint between t ev 'upper Vand :lower panels vOne suitable :construction for this purpose may comprise a relativelylarge lower cross member 20positioned'just-'below the rear window opening vl'landan yupper vcross .member 21 :positioned just -aboveithe rear window opening and joinedbyupright members 22 which entend tok the topflangev 23 of the body shell; :A header v'rail 24 rests uponV the` ange 23- and is connectedwith the trimV frame by a strapior bracketv25' se# sog soV

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lower panels by a bracket 30. Preferably, the bracket constructed and arranged to engage the stiifened upper edge oi a panel protector 31 and thereby hold it against the panel. A bracket for this purpose may be constructed ot any suitable material, slgch as steel, having a fiatl portion 32 adapted to engage the bottom of the lower cross member 20 and a substantially parallel flat portion 33 spaced therefrom and connected therewith by a web 84. vThe flat portion 83 is secured to the joint 'between the upper and lower panels in any appropriate manner as by bolts 35, and if desired the fiat portion 32 may be secured to the` lower cross member 20 by screws 36. In accordance with the preferred construction, the web 34 is provided with an.. extension 37 which is `con-` structed and arranged to engage a slat oi wood 38 or other stiifening material secured along the upper edge of the lowerpanel protector 31 to holdthe latter in place.

If desired, the trim framecomprising the cross members `2() and `21 and the upright members 22 may be assembled at the bench and inserted as .thusassembled within the body shell and suspended from the header rail 24 by the straps 25, the inturned flange 18 of the window opening being then tacked or secured to the trim frame. The bracket 80 is then moved into position against the bottom of the lower cross members 2O and secured to the joint between the upper and lower panels by the bolts 35. If desired, the upper flat portion 32 of the bracket may be fixed to the cross member 20 by screws 86. A rear window 40 is then placedv against the shoulder 41 of the flange 18 and is held in place by ltrimming strips 42 which are secured to the trim frame in any suitable manner as by screws 43. The bottom edge of the lower panel protector` 31 is then slipped into the slot b etween the lip of the rearv cross sill member 16 andthe lower back panel 11 and the `protector buckled to allow the stiifened upper edge thereof to slip into place behind thedepending extension 37 of the bracket 30. The finish trimming is then i inserted and secured in place in accordance with the principles described in another application iled May 2, 1927, Serial No. 185,125.

The inventionrnot only provides a trim frame of simple construction which may be readily secured within the body shell butv Valso provides means whereby the back construction is strengthened and given greater rigidity. Furthermore, the lower back panel is protected romdamages by contact with tools which in many instances are carried `in an automobile beneath or behind the rear seat. VThe construction also furnishes a rigid support for the back 44 oi the rear seat which is arranged to engage the relatively said frame to the 'oint between the u aber and lower panels and hold the lower panel protector in place.

2. In an` automobilefbody, the' combination of an exterior shell having an upper and a lower paneljoined together, a trim frame within the shell, alower panel protector, a bracketsecured to the joint between the upper and lower panels tosupport said frame and having la depending portion arranged to engage the panel protector. Y

' 3. In an automobile body, the combination of an exterior shell having an -upper'rand a lower panel joined together', a trim frame within the shell surrounding a back window, and a bracket having spacedv substantially parallel portions secured to said frame and to the joint between the upper and lowerv panels and connected by a web.

4. In an automobile body, the combina tion of an exterior shell having an upper and a lower panel. joined together, a trim :traine within the shell, a lower panel protector, and a bracket having spaced substantially parallel portions securedto said frame and to the joint between the upper and lower panels, said spaced Vportions being connected by a web having an extension arranged to engage the panel protector. Y

5. In an automobile body, the combination of an exterior shell having an `upper and a lower panel joined together, a lower cross sill member to ywhich the lower panel is secured, a trim frame within the shell, aloweiw` Aau panel protector having its lower edge between the lip of the cross sillmember and lower panel, and means constructed and arranged to tie said frameto the shell and hold the upper edge of thelower panel pr'o-l` tector in place.

6. In an automobile body, the combination of an exterior shell having an upper and a lower paneljoined together, atrim frame within the shell, a lower panel protector having its upper edge stiiiened, and a bracket secured to the joint between the upper and lower panels to support said frame and having a depending portion arranged to engage a portion of the stiiiened upper edge of the panel protector to hold the protector against the panel; Y

7 In an automobile body, the combination of an exterior' shell having a back lwindow opening, a trim frame surrounding said window opening and secured to said shell, a protector having its upper edge stiffened, and a bracket secured to the trim frame and having a portion arranged to engage a porf tion of the stifened upper edge'of lthe pro-r y tector to hold the same'against the shell. l 8. In an automobile` body, the combina- 5 tion of an exterior shell having a back window opening, a lower cross sill member to which the shell is secured, a ltrim frame within the shell surrounding the Window opening, a protector havingits lower edge between the lip of thev cross sill .member and m the shell, and a bracket secured to the trim frame and having a portion arranged to engage an' upper portion of the protector to hold the same against the shell.

In testimony whereof I aHX my signature.

' MILLARI) H. TONCRAY. 

